Problem

In the past 100 years, the number of tigers has been reduced by 95%. By the turn of the century alone, 3 sub-species of tigers (Bali, Java, Caspian ) were driven to extinction. Unfortunately, the 5 remaining subspecies seem to be headed to a similar fate. These extremely large numbers of tiger population losses in the world are due to many factors, most of which involve human interferance.
The loss, fragmentation, and degradation of forests have been a great factor to the loss of Bengal Tigers. Habitat loss remains one of the biggest dangers that threaten tiger populations in South and Southeast Asia. In countries like India (where the majority of Bengal Tigers reside) people are always looking to expand their living space, which overlaps with tiger populations. During the 20 years since Project Tiger began in 1973, India's human population has increased by over 300 million and livestock by over 100 million. The people transform the ecological systems with cattle, and crops which in turn harm the tigers by leaving them with little or no space to live, hunt and reproduce successfully. Number s of tiger prey drop, and the tigers are forced to move or even hunt humans and livestock for food, and are later penalized for this with death.
Tiger skins have long been an object of desire, used to adorn houses and buildings as rugs, wall hangings, and even coats for people. Though they are still in demand, now that there are trade bans however, poaching has changed targets, focusing mainly on bones and other body parts to meet the demand for pseudo-medicinal us in China, Taiwan, south Korea and Indo-China. The statistics show that over six tons of tiger bones were imported between 1975 and 1992, which could represent the equivalent of 500 to 1,000 tigers (using dry bone weights of 10-12kg per tiger). Nearly two-thirds of the imports to South Korea were from Indonesia, with China second at 14 per cent (probably re-exports). Other listed suppliers were Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Taiwan.
Another major problem that aids the steadily decreasing number of Bengal tigers, is the failure to enforce laws concerning illegal poaching and trading. Evidence has been collected showing that tiger-based medicine is still widely available despite announced bans and laws. Tigers will therefore remain under serious threats with regards to poachers willing to continue hunting them for their bones and furs.
Because most tiger populations today consist of less than 100 tigers, only of which 40% form the breeding population, reproduction among the tiger populations is also reducing and becoming more difficult. Inbreeding is therefore unavoidable, and many cases of father-daughter as well as mother-son breeding have been recorded. This loss of variability leads to genetic deterioration with lower cub production and survival.
Finally, another problem leading to the deterioration of tiger populations is due to natural disasters such as floods, forest fires, hurricanes, and epidemics. Monsoon floods and hurricanes usually kill several tigers in the Indian subcontinent.